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(No Model.) v A G. G. WAGNER.

-GLOGK- SYNGHRONIZINGAPPARATUS.

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Patente-d Apr. 1.1884.

l INVBNTOR @Me mme @..Wwgyw ATTORNEYS N iTnn rArnsI PATENr einen.

GUSTAVUS G. YAGNER, OF MOUNT VERNON, N EV YORK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 296,256, dated April l, 1384.

Application filed February 27, 1883. (No model.)

.To all whom, t may concern:

Be it known that I, GUsrAvUs G. WAGNER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Mount Vernon, in the county of Vestchester and State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Clock-Synchronizing Apparatus, of which the following isa specification.

This invention relates, especially, to that class io of synchronizing apparatus which is'designed to be operated by an electric current; and it consists in the novel construction and arrangement of parts, hereinafter described, whereby an indicator is set automatically whenever the 'I 5 proper clock-hand is adjusted by the synchronizing devices, so as to show subsequently the period at which such act was performed, and whereby the apparatus is rendered inoperative except at a certain predetermined period, so 2o that it is not liable to be affected by a current due to a disturbance in the line or the use of the line for other purposes. This invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure l represents afront elevation,partly in section. Fig. 2 is a vertical section on the line x, Fig. l. Fig. 3 is a horizontal section on the line g/ y, Fig. l. Fig. 4. is a detail view of parts corresponding in position to Fig. l.

Similar letters indicate corresponding parts. The letter A designates the dial of a clock, and B the minute-hand thereof, mounted on an arbor, O, in any usual or suitable manner. With this clock-hand are combined two ad- 3 5 justing-levers, E, which have their fulcra in pivots w on opposite sides of the central vertical line of the dial, and are each provided with a finger, o, projecting through a slot, D, in the dial, this slot being a segment of two circles described from the pivots. Said adj usting-levers E are of elbow shape, and have the iinger o at the end of one arm, while they are connected at the end of the vother arm, and by means of rods u, to two cranks, F, mounted on a shaft, G, in such a manner that in each revolution of this shaft the levers are properly actuated to cause the fingers to travel from the outer ends of the slot D inward toward each other, and meet,or nearly so, in the 5o central vertical line of the dial, thence returning to the iirst or normal position, and if in such movement of the fingers the clock-hand is at any point between theme-as on either side of the figure 12-it is thereby set to such gure. The motion of the crank-shaft F is produced by the action of a weight, G,whieh is attached to a cord or chain, r, wound on a drum, H, on the shaft, this drum being provided with a ratchet to turn independently of the shaft in one direction for winding up the cord and turn with the shaft inthe other di'- rection; but I can also use a spring in lieu of the weight. Said crank-shaft'G carries aiiXed key or tooth, s, engaging with an escape-anchor, H, formed -at one lend of a lever, I,which has its fulcrum in a rock-shaft, J, and to the opposite end of which is fastened an armature, K, concomitant to an electro-magnet L. this magnet being arranged in an electrical circuit, as by local wires 10 and Il, connected 7o with line-wires l2.

To the lever I is connected a spring, I', whereby it under normal conditions is held in the position shown in Figs. l and 4, in which one of the arms (marked Q) of the anchor is presented to the shaft-key s, and the crank shaft is prevented from turning, while when the magnet is vitalized,so as to attract the armature K,said arm q releases the key and allows the crank-shaft to follow the action of 8o the weight G or its substitute. Then the crank-shaft has thus made a half-revolution, the shaft-key s is caught by the other arm, q', of the anchor, and if the lever Iis then re- Aleased by the demagnetization of the magnet, S 5

said lever resumes its original position, the key is again released, and the shaft is permitted to complete its revolution. If desired, the lever I may be arranged to act on thc crank-shaft G by means of a pawl and ratchet, 9o in the manner of an actuating-escapemcnt, to produce the required motion of a shaft, the weight G being in that case omitted, and the vibration of said lever, moreover, may be produced by a pneumatic contrivance instead of 9 5 the magnet.

Vith the crank-shaft F is geared a revolving disk, M, which is hung to the back of the clock-dial, as by an axial stud, p, and marked with gures or other characters adapted to be viewed through a display-opening, o, in the dial,such characters being so arranged that IOO they are successively brought beneath the opening in the successive revolutions of the shaft-namely, by the action of the shaft on the disk; hence if the proper characters are put on the disk it serves to indicate subsequently the period at which the parts were actuated for the purpose of setting the hand, as before described, and thereby synchronizing the clock, so that any omission of this performance may be at once detected. In the example shown, the 'figures ofthe disk M are arranged to indicate the synchronizing of the clock at intervals of two hours, and the disk has peripheral teeth meshing with a pinion, n, on the crank-shaft, to produce the required gearing between it and the shaft; but it is obvious that these features can be modified as circumstances may render expedient. Instead of the disk M, moreover, I can use other forms of indicators, which will readily suggest themselves to a skilled mechanic.

In connection with the magnet L, I use a shunt-circuit comprising a revolving switch, whereby any electrical currentin the line-wire 12, however produced, is cut out, leaving the magnet demagnetized until the switch takes a certain position, and hence the apparatus is rendered inoperative, except at a certain period, which is the period predetermined for synchronizing the clock. In this manner the apparatus is not only left unaffected by a disturbance in the line-wire-as by the falling of another heavily-charged wire thereonbut the line-wire at the same time is adapted to be used for any other general purposes.

The shunt-switch consists of a metallic disk or cylinder, N, having arranged in superficial contact therewith two springs, on., which are connected with the line-wires l2 by wires I3 and 1l. Said disk, moreover, is provided on its periphery with an insulator, I), of vulvcanite or other similar material, while it is geared with a clockarboras by cog-wheels Ht-in such amanner that at the period before mentioned said insulator is brought opposite to and in contact with the springs m, whereby the shunt-circuit is broken, and the current, if there be any, ilows from the linewire through the magnet IJ, while the shuntcircuit remains closed at all other times.

In the periphery ofthe disk N is a notch, j, and on the lever I is an arm, It, having a spur, v, which is in contact, or nearly so, with the periphery of the disk, except when, in the revolution ofthe latter, the notch is brought opposite to the spur, so that the lever is prevented from vibrating except at that periodm that is to say, il' the lever is acted on when the notch is in the position named, the spur en ters the notch, thus permitting the movement of the lever, while in any other position of the notch the disk opposes the movement of the spur and with it the lever; hence if the movement of the disk is properly timed or regulated relatively to the notch and spur, the apparatus may be thereby rendered inoperlativ e,

except at the period selected for synchronizing the clock, the disk thus becoming a substitute for or an auxiliary to the shunt circuit.

NVhat I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Iatent, is

I. The combination, with a synchronizing mechanism, of the indicator connected with such mechanism, substantially as described, to be set 'automatically in each operation thereof, for the purpose set forth.

2. The combination, with the clock-handadjusting levers l, of the crank-shaft G, connected with such levers, means, substantially as shown, for operating said shaft, and the controlling-lever I, the whole adL pted to operate substantially as described, for the purpose set forth.

3. rIhe combination, with the clock-handadjusting levers E, of the crank-shaft G, connected with such levers, means for operating said shaft, the lever I, for controlling it, the armature Ii, and the electro-magnet L, the whole adapted to operate substantially as described, for the purpose set forth.

rlhc combination, with the clock-hamladjusting levers E, of the crank-shaft G, connected with such levers, means, substantially as described, for operating said shaft, the lever I, and the revolving indicator geared with the crank-shaft, the whole adapted to operate substantially as described, for the purpose set forth.

5. The combination, with the elock-handadjusting levers lil, ofthe crank-shaft G, eonnected with such levers, means for operating said shaft, the lever I, the indicating-disk M, geared with the crankshaft, and the clockdial having the display-opening o, the whole adapted to operate substantially as described, for the purpose set forth.

(i. The combination, with the clock-hand adjusting levers E, of the shaft G, connected with suoli levers and provided with the key s, the lever I, having at one end the anchor II, to engage with such key, and a means, substantially as described, iorimparting a revolving motion to said shaft.

7. rIhe combination, with the clock-hand adjusting levers E, of the crank-shaft G, con nected with such levers and provided with the key s, the lever I, having at one end the anchor II, to engage with such key, the drum or windlass II on the crank-shaft, and the weight G, attached to the cord of the windlass, the whole adapted to operate substantially as described, for the purpose set forth.

S. The combination, with a syi'iehronizing mechanism comprising the levers Il, shaft G, connected therewith, and the lever I, of the supplemental arm It on such lever, having the spur fi, and the revolving disk N, having the peripheral notchj, the whole adapted to operate substantially as described, for the purpose set forth.

9. The combination, with a synchronizing mechanism comprising the levers E, shaft G, In testimony whereof Ihavehereunto set my connected therewith, and the lever I, of the hand and seal in the presence of two subarmature on such lever, the electro-magnet, seriloing Witnesses.

the revolving metallic disk N, having a pe- 5 ripheral insulator, P, and notch j, the oon- GUSTAVUS G. VAGNER. [L 8.]

tact-springs m, forming the terminals of the wires in the shunt-circuit, and the supple- Witnesses: mental arm R on the lever, having the spur fi, XV. L. CANDEE, the Whole adapte'd to operate substantially as CHAs. VVAHLERs.

1o described, for the purpose set forth. 

